Meet-Cute with your Coffee
by angelic1hp
Summary: Snapshots in 100 word form of Shepard and Liara as they meet in a coffee shop while matriculating at the University of Serrice on Thessia. Alternate Universe (both of coffee shop and college variety); Fluff and more Fluff; Shiara; Femshep/Liara; Word Count 100; Drabble Collection
1. 6:28am

**1: 6:28am**

I think about talking to her. Sometimes.

We have the same morning coffee routine, which feels like a strangely intimate thing to share with a stranger.

We're minutes apart. My coffee arrives at the end of the auto-counter just she's punching her order onto the screen: 6:28am to 6:32am.

We're the only two in here – no one else is lame enough to be up this early on the University of Serrice campus (unless they're still awake from the night before).

Can't be so hard to say _hi_.

Compromise: this time I smile at her.

Damnit. Coffee foam on my lip.


	2. Butterfly Wings

**2: Butterfly Wings**

She offers me a napkin. It was the messiest of meet-cutes. It works anyway. We fall into endless, effortless conversation.

I'm a chronic insomniac. She's a pathological academic. I sleep for three hours, work out, and get a coffee; she studies until past midnight, sleeps a sensible six hours, and utilises caffeine to restart her cycle. These are the butterfly wings that bring us together.

It feels a long time coming (I'd been waiting to introduce myself for forever).

And I nearly forgot to.

"It's Shepard, by the way," says I, some hour into our introductory chat.

"Liara," she replies.


	3. Study

**3: Study**

I can't stop thinking about her. I can't wait for tomorrow's coffee.

I absolutely should wait – desperation is not an attractive scent at any time of the day.

My little-loved pile of coursework looms menacingly.

Perhaps I could be more like her.

I read. The text does little to leap from the digital interface of my datapad to grab me.

I persevere.  
I sit a little straighter.  
I grab a pad. I make notes.  
I look at my essay question – there are parts that are relevant.  
I start to write (way ahead of deadline).

I fall asleep at my desk.


	4. 6:44am

**4: 6:44am**

It's 6:40 when my head rises from the desk.

_Shit._

She'll be gone. I've missed her.

I don't shower – I do nothing but flee my dorm.

It's 6:44 when I reach the coffee shop. It's empty.

This is the first morning coffee I've "missed" since the start of the semester. It being the first since we finally spoke, it's _slightly_ so suspicious. If I was her, I'd be convinced I've been coffee-ghosted.

If she changes café location or time, I'll never find her – 30,000 students go here.

My heart sinks - didn't even bring my credit chit for caffeine fix.


	5. Takeaway

**5: Takeaway**

I half-jog back to the dorm, so distracted by my designs on sneaking in through a window (left without even my omni-tool for ident key entry) that I almost miss her soft call.

"Shepard – I thought I missed you."

I stop dead and turn. Liara is in front of me, takeaway cup in hand.

"No, I'm just late," I blurt stupidly. "I'm so sorry."

"You look…"

"Dishevelled. It's a style."

"I'm not very stylish, so I will take your word for it," she smiles, her eyes playful.

"It's a funny story," I begin. "You see, I was studying past midnight."

* * *

Note:

Thank you for reading. On AO3, I've marked this as part of a series (The Coffee, Datapads, Degrees and Butterfly Wings Series) as I have some ideas swirling for continuation of this 'Verse (I don't think I've ever done AU posted or unposted - Canon branch-off, fixit, and timeline diversions sure, but not AU - and even this story is still within the ME galaxy), although future iterations perhaps not in the restricted 100 word form.

This was a good way to get me to exercise the muscles and get past the fear by writing and posting something quickly, as I have been stuck on chapter 37 of my WIP She Is Omega for some damn time - so much so I've written some 20,000 words on an unposted FemShep/Sara Ryder story that no one's asking for but I can't help but continue to gaze at tenderly. I'll keep plugging away on both points...


End file.
